Cardiff City Overcome Adversity To Beat Boro!

Cardiff City produced a magnificent rearguard action and overcame numerous difficulties to record a very special 1-0 win over Middlesbrough and make it a remarkable 9 straight victories at home.

Matthew Connolly got the winner, nodding home an excellent Whittingham corner, but City had to blood a youngster at centre-half with Ben Nugent replacing the injured Ben Turner. If that weren't bad enough, Andrew Taylor then limped off so Joe Ralls had to play left-back. Yep, Joe Ralls the inexperienced and lightweight midfielder who has barely featured this season.

Craig Noone, Mark Hudson, Connolly and Whittingham were absolutely immense. The determination and commitment as good as Cardiff City fans will have witnessed. Nugent and Ralls stepped up manfully and can be incredibly proud of their contributions today.

Boro were actually pretty dirty, and were allowed to get away with allsorts by some very weak officials. They are clearly a very good side however, and created a number of chances - the best falling to Australian McDonald but he fired over on 45 minutes, and again in the second half. Marshall saved several efforts, and the visitors hit the bar and post but never created any golden opportunities and were kept out by the most makeshift of cobbled together back fours.

There was no 'bottling it' today and while Boro could easily have gotten an equaliser and then a winner - they were kept out and that is a fantastic testament to Malky and his players. It wasnt perfect by any means, but a vital three points and a very satisfying backs-to-the-walls performance.